A brilliant run from Stephen Ferroni saw him join an elite band of Sussex runners who have won a medal in the South of Thames Senior Cross-country championship at Tonbridge on Saturday.
The eighteen year old Brighton & Hove runner is certainly the youngest Sussex runner to get amongst the medals in this classy 7.5-mile race and he took several valuable scalps as he closed on the 25 year old winner John Gilbert (Kent), who has strung together some most impressive runs over the past twelve months.
Ferroni finished just ten seconds adrift in 42.39 and 19 seconds clear of his u20 rival Max Nichols (Tonbridge) who finished third.
The Brighton & Hove team, who had hoped to challenge for team medals collapsed at the last minute with three of their top scorers, including team manager Howard Bristow crying off with niggles.
They did however finish a creditable fifth in the team event with Andrew Donno having a fine run to finish 17th, James Turner 33rd, Martin Brooks 48th, Louis Taub 49th and Graham Godden 59th completing the scoring six.
The Brighton & Hove “B” team finished 11th in the team event and in the 12 aside team competition they did picked up bronze medals.
The Crawley Club suffered even more with injuries and failed complete a scoring six.
In the women’s event there also a silver medal for Sussex as Nicole Taylor from Crowborough, who runs for Tonbridge clocking 50:00, twenty seconds down on race winner Amy Clements (Kent).
Brighton & Hove just missed team medals finishing in fourth spot with Cathy Ulliott W50 leading them home in 22nd place and Jeanette Kenneally 34th, Judith Carder 40th, Helen Fitzgerald 45, Camilla Moyle 48th and Manjuna Moon 49th completing the scoring six.
ALF PALMER
More than thirty walkers from across the South East completed the “Alf Palmer” annual 5km track walks at Broadbridge Heath on Saturday, the largest turn out for many years.
It meant a tough time for the Sussex walkers however as, for change, it was the youngsters rather than the Veterans, who stole the honours.
U20s Luke Legon (Cambridge H) and Tim Snook (Aldershot) dead heated, comfortably clear of their nearest rivals, to take the title in 24:11.5.
Ian Richards (Steyning) M65 filled fourth place in 25:43.5 while club mate Jimmy Ball placed 6th in 27:23.1 and Ollie Hopkins (Lewes) U17 placed ninth in 29:43.2.
There was also a young winner in the women’ event when U17 athlete Eve Butcher (Cambridge) steamed home well clear in 28:39.2.
Anne Jones W60 from Steyning was the leading Sussex walker placing sixth in 32:48.3.